The Guardians' youth movement was on display at Tuesday night's All-Star Game, where rookies Travis Bazzana and Parker Messick joined first time All-Star closer Cade Smith.
Ideastream Public Media commentator Terry Pluto says the Guardians continue to rely on developing young talent rather than spending big, with nine players making their major league debuts so far this season.
"What has happened is a number of them have come through and come through well," Pluto said. "And at the All-Star break, the Guardians are tied with the White Sox in first place in the Central Division and they have the third highest winning percentage in the American League."
Smith took over as closer after Emmanuel Clase was placed on leave amid a gambling investigation. Smith now leads the American League in saves.
"He's from Vancouver, Canada," Pluto said. "He was drafted out of high school real low (16th round) but didn't sign. He had one Division I offer, (the) University of Hawaii, hardly a baseball power."
Smith went undrafted in the shortened 2020 MLB Draft before signing with Cleveland as a free agent. The Guardians selected his contract in 2023. The following year, he finished his rookie season with a 1.91 ERA and 103 strikeouts.
Rookie starting pitcher Parker Messick entered the All-Star break with an 8-5 record and a 2.73 ERA in 19 starts. He grew up playing baseball at Plant City High School in Florida before attending Florida State, the only school that offered him a scholarship early, according to Pluto.
"Later on, several other schools came in, but he went (to Florida State) and he was a classic kind of draft pick by the Guardians," Pluto said. "They like to take these guys who have really good control. They're really kind of smart. They don't throw incredibly hard, but they look like good pitchers. And so, they drafted him in the second round in 2022. And he came up at the end of last season was very promising. And of course, this year now he's on the All-Star team."
The Guardians selected Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He then battled two oblique injuries in 2025 before breaking through this season as an All-Star second baseman and the team's leadoff hitter.
Still, Pluto believes Bazzana's All-Star selection was a bit of luck.
"Travis Bazzana just happened to be playing the right position and that was second base where there weren't very many good second base in the American league," Pluto said. "They have different ways of different people voting on it, but the opposing players in the America League voted for Bazzana. So that's how he got on the team."
Pluto believes at least one Guardians player was overlooked.
"Brayan Rocchio deserved to be on the All-Star team," Pluto said. "He's a shortstop and he was just basically held back by the fact that there are a bunch of really good shortstops in the American League, and they got the nod over him."
Among the Guardians' young players, Pluto says outfielder Chase DeLauter also stands out.
"Had he maybe stayed healthy, he might have had a shot to make the All-Star team," Pluto said. "But he missed a month with a broken rib after running into a wall. But he's come back and he's hitting well."
Pluto said the Guardians continue to prove they can compete without one of baseball's biggest payrolls.
"They have to scout well, they've got a draft smart, and then they have to develop these players," Pluto said. "The Guardians, they make some bad moves sometimes and everything else, but they're remarkable how they are consistently good. You have to ever be careful about writing these guys off. They got a shot of winning their third consecutive central division title in a row. They're once again doing it with one of the youngest rosters in baseball. I just admire how they do it the hard way."
